Apparatus for operating a well cable



March 12,1940. E. J. BASYE APPARATUS FOR OPERATING A WELL CABLE FiledMay 23, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l if 20 i 24 8 25 ATTO EY.

March 12, 1940. E. J. BASYE APPARATUS FOR OPERATING A WELL CABLE 2Sheets-Sheef 2 Filed May 25, 1959 IN VENTOR.

35 f I 34 I51 1/ Patented Mar. 12, 1940 PATENT orrics APPARATUS FOROPERATING A CABLE Edwin J. Basye, Altadena, Calif.

Application May 23, 1939, Serial No. 275,233

11 Claims.

take the place of the usual Walking-beam used in pumping oil wells, andit has among its salient objects to provide an improved mechanism whichwill make it possible'to conveniently regulate the length of strokedesired or required for the particular job; to provide a mechanism whichis simple, practical and efiicient, and which does away with a greatdeal of the usual mechanism above the ground, as where the oldwalking-beam is used;

Another object of my invention is to provide a mechanism of thecharacter referred to in which an operating cable is wound around a druma few turns with its opposite ends connected, one end with the pump rodor other working part, and the other end of which is connected with aweight which operates to keep the cable taut, much as does the man whoholds on to the free end of a cable operating on the usual capstan.

Another object of my invention is to provide in such a mechanism, asimple and practical means for automatically releasing the cable drum atthe end of the power stroke, whereby the pump rod or other workingpartis released to fall by gravity to the down position, with means forautomatically setting the mechanism at the end of the down movement toimmediately start the lift or up stroke of said cable.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear from thefollowing more detailed description of the same, taken in connectionwith the accompanying two sheets of drawings, on which I haveillustrated one practical embodiment thereof. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a pit, showing myinvention in side elevation in connection therewith, for operating apump rod;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the center ofthe cable drum mechanism, taken on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view showing the cables in theirrelationships to the pump rod and the weight apart from the drums;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on 7 line 44 of Fig. 2;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 2;

Figures 6 and 7 are sectional views of the same parts shown in Figs. 4and 5, respectively, in other positions; and

Figure 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 88 of Fig. 1,showing the lever mountings under the mechanisms shown inFigs. 4 to '7inclusive.

Referring now more in detail to the drawings, Fig. 1 in particular, myinvention as here shown for illustrative purposes is shown incombination with a pit H], suitably walled, as may be desired, withconcrete blocks, H, at the surface, opposite ends, across which, at thesurface, are mounted two rails, |2, |2, seen in section in Fig. 2, uponwhich carrier brackets are mounted to move, each carrier bracketincluding a head portion l3, having a bearing box I4, with arms l5, l5,and a downwardly depending supporting arm or web I6, across the'lowerends of which is mounted a shaft 'secured'therein. The main drive oroperating shaft I8 is mounted through the bearing boxes M, M, and hasrotatably mounted thereon a cable drum I9, having the flanges l9, l9,between which the cables, designated 20, 2|, are wound, as indicated inFig. 3. One end of the cables 2|! and 2| are shown attached to a crossmember 22 to which a pump rod 23 is attached, and the other ends of saidcables are attached to a cross member 24, to which a counterweight 25 ismounted, as clearly indicated in Figs. 1 and 3.

As a means for moving the carrier brackets and drum mechanism on thetracks or rails l2, l2, a rod 26, is attached thereto, as at 21, and isthreaded at its other end and extended through a member 28, with aninternally threaded crank member 29 thereon for exerting pull on saidcarrier arms l5, as indicated in Fig. 1. This for the purpose of movingthe machanism over to the. right far enough when it is desired to removepump rod or pipe from the well, as will be understood.

Keyed to the main shaft l8, within the drum I9, in a cross arm or member3!], shown as having its lower end, as seen in Fig. 2, and Figs. 4 and6, bifurcated and having pivotally mounted thereon, on a pivot pin 3|,the lower ends of two brake shoe members, 32, 33, as clearly shown inFigs. 4 and 6. The end of the brake shoe member 32 is alsobifurcatedwith the end of the member 33 therebetween on the pivot pin 3|.

' The upper end of said cross arm or member, is also bifurcated and hasmounted therein a pinion 34, one. shaft 35, having its bearings 35', 35in the sides of said cross arm. Said shaft 35 is.

extended and is provided on its outer end with a second pinion 36.

The upper end of the brake shoe member 32 is provided with a rackportion 32' and the brake shoe member 33 is provided at its upper endwith an offset portion which terminates in a rack 33, and these rackportions 32' and 33' are in mesh with the pinion 34, on the shaft 35, asclearly seen in Figs. 4 and 5, in different positions.

Mounted on the main shaft I8, in the open side of the cable drum 19, asseen in Fig. 2, is a disc or narrow drum 31, having formed on its upperside, as seen in Figs. 2, 5 and 7, a rack segment 37, in mesh with thepinion 36, on the shaft 35, which extends through an opening or slot 38in said disc or narrow drum 37.

Also mounted on said main shaft l8, outside of said disc or narrow drum31, is another disc or narrow drum 39, having around its edge aninwardly extended flange portion 39' and having shown integral therewithan inwardly positioned rack segment 50, also in mesh with the undersideof pinion 36, as shown in Figs. 5 and '7, which are sectional viewstaken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2, just inside of the web or disc body 39.

On the shaft l8, between said disc or drum members 3'! and 39, are twodiscs, as 4| and 42, with a pad 33 therebetween, said discs 4! and 42being connected with the larger discs 31 and 39, respectively, by pins44 and 45. Two coiled expansion springs, as 46 and 41, are placedbetween the outer discs 3'! and 39, and the inner smaller discs 4| and42, putting a yielding pressure toward the pad 43 therebetween, as seenin Fig. 2.

Mounted around the face of the disc or narrow drum 3'! is a brake band48, having attached to one end a coiled spring 49, the other end ofwhich spring is attached to the end of a lever or arm 59, the other endof which brake band 49 is anchored to an offset portion 59' at thepivoted end of said lever 59, as seen in Figs. 5 and '7.

Mounted around the face of the outer disc member 39 is a second brakeband 5|, having attached to one end a coiled spring 52, the other end ofwhich spring is attached to the end of a lever or arm 53, the other endof which brake band is anchored to an offset portion 53' at the pivotedend of the lever or arm 53. Figs. 5 and '7 show the same mechanisms inreleased positions and in locked positions, as again herein referred to.

Also mounted on said shaft IT, at the lower end of the side bracket websor arms H5, H3, and secured thereto by a set screw 54 is a rocker arm orlever 55, the opposite ends of which are positioned to be engaged by andmoved, respectively, by the cross members 22 and 24, as said crossmembers are alternately raised and lowered, as will be clear from Fig.1, which operates to rock the shaft 11, and to also rock the arms orlevers 50 and 53 for locking or releasing the brake bands on the drumelements 31 and 39, which in turn operate the pinions 34 and 36, forsetting and releasing the brake shoe members 32-33.

The use and operation of my invention as here shown for explanatorypurposes may be briefly described as follows:

Assuming that the pump rod is down, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 4, andthat the counterweight 25 is up and has engaged and moved rocker lever55 to the position shown in Fig. 4. This operates to turn shaft I!therewith, moving arm 50 down and arm 53 up, as seen in Fig. 5.

Arm 50 tightens brake band 48 on drum 31,

holding said drum 3"! and its rack segment 31. As shaft 35 is movingwith the cross arm 30, and pinion 35 thereon is in mesh with said racksegment 3i" being held (rack 40 on drum 39 being free). said shaft 35 isrotated, and in turn rotates pinion 34, operating between racks 37: and33, which pinion 34 operates to expand brake shoes 32 and 33, in thecable drum l9, and thus drives said cable drum IS with the cross arm 30,secured on the drive shaft !8, to wind up said cable and pull said pumprod to the up stroke, where it engages said rocker lever 55, and movesit to the position shown in Fig. 6. This turns the shaft llcorrespondingly, raising arm 59 and lowering arm thereby releasing brakeband 48, on drum 37, and tightening brake band 5!, on drum 39. Theholding of drum 39. also holds its rack segment 4!], which causes thepinion 36 to turn thereon, as it is moved by the arm 35, and shaft 35,on said rack segment M). This turns pinion 34 in the opposite directionwhich operates through racks 32' and 33 to release the brake shoes 32and 33, as seen in Fig. 6, permitting the cable drum to turn freely andthus allow the cable and pump rod to drop by gravity to the downposition. The number of turns of the cable drum determines the length ofthe stroke and this makes it possible to get any length of strokedesired. The speed of the drive shaft 18, and the operating arm ormember 30 therein, may be regulated according to the productionrequired. It will be noted that the cable and pump rod, or any othermember attached to said cable, is pulled to the up position and then isallowed to drop freely as far as desired, or as far as the Icounterweight will permit according to its position of attachment, andthere is no forcing the rod down and no buckling thereof, as when thepump rod is attached to the usual walking-beam and the speed is muchgreater than can be had with a walking beam.

Thus I have provided a practical, eflicient and economical cableoperating mechanism, wherein a cable drum has thereon an operating cableto be connected with a work load. such as a pump rod, drill or any otherload which is to be raised and dropped by gravity. with means forautomatically controlling the operation thereof to positively drive saidcable drum to raise said work load and to release said drum to permitthe work load to drop. and in connection with which mechanism it ispossible to regulate the length of stroke and to provide for a length ofstroke impossible with a walking beam, now commonly used in so many oilwells.

And while I have shown and described in detail one practical embodimentof my invention. I am aware that many changes in the details ofconstruction and arrangement can be made without departing from thespirit and heart of my invention, and I do not, therefore. limit myinvention to the showing made. except as I may be limited by the heretoappended claims.

I claim:

1. A cable operating mechanism including a drive shaft, a cable drummounted thereon. a cable around said drum with its opposite endsextended downwardly therefrom to be alternately raised and lowered assaid drum turns in opposite directions, one end of said cable beingadapted to be connected with a work load and the other end thereofconnected with a counterweight, a driving element secured to said driveshaft to turn therewith, releasable means connected with said drivingelement for operatively connectingit with said. drum for positivelydriving said drum in one direction to lift said work load, and. meansalternately operable by said cable ends for automatically releasing saiddriving element from said drum, whereby said drum can'turn freely topermit said work load to drop, and for automatically again locking saiddriving element with said drum to again lift said work load.

2. A cable operating mechanism including a drive shaft, a cable drummounted thereon, a cable around said drum with its opposite endsextended downwardlyv therefrom to be'alternately raised and lowered assaid drum turns in opposite directions, one end of said cable beingadapted to be connected with a work load and the other end thereofconnected with a counterweight, a driving element secured to said driveshaft within said drum to turn with said shaft, releasable meansconnected with said driving element for intermittently connecting itwith the interior of said drum for driving said drum in one direction,to lift said work load, and means operable 'to automatically releasesaid driving element from said drum to permit said drum to turn freelyand for again locking said driving element with said drum to lift saidwork load, and means on the opposite ends of said cable forautomatically actuating-saidreleasing means to alternately set andrelease said means for driving and releasing said cablev drum. v

3. A cable operating mechanism including a drive shaft, a cable drumrotatably mounted on said drive shaft, a cable around said drum with itsopposite ends extended downwardly therefrom to be alternately raised andlowered as said drum is turned in opposite directions, one end of saidcable being attached to a work load and the other end thereof connectedwitha counterweight, a driving element secured to said drive shaftwithin said cable drum, brake shoes connected with said driving elementandadapted to be expanded and contracted to interlock said drivingelement with said cable drum and to release said drum, means forexpanding and contracting said brake shoes, said means being controlledby said cable ends, and means on said cable ends to alternately actuatethe means for expanding and contracting said brake shoes, whereby todrive said cable drum to lift the work load and to release it to letsaid work load drop.

4. A cable operating mechanism including a drive shaft, a cable drumrotatably mountedon said drive shaft, a cab-1e around said drum andhaving its end connected with a work load, a counterweight having cableconnections with said drum in opposition to the pull of said workload,'a driving element secured to said shaft within said drum, meanscarried by said driving element a'daptedto be interlocked with saidcable drum, mechanism adapted to be actuated to alternately interlockand release said driving element, to drive said drum or to release it toturn freely, and means connected with said cable on the work load end toactuate said mechanism in one direction .to release said driving elementfrom said drum, and means carried on the counterweight cable to actuatesaid mechanism in the opposite direction to interlock said drivingelement with said cable drum to raise said" work load.

In a cable operating mechanism, a drive shaft to be power driven, acable drum thereon having its and connected with a Work load, acounterweight having cable connection around drum, a driving elementconnected with said drive shaft to turn therewith within said drum,

brake shoes connected with said driving element within said drum, rackand gearmeans carriedalternately expand and contract said brake shoeswithin saidcable drum.

6. In a cable operating mechanism, a drive shaft to. be power driven, acable drum rotatably. mounted thereon, a cable around said drum andhaving its end connected with awork load, a driving element secured tosaid drive shaft within said drum, means carried by said driving elementfor'interlocking said driving element with the drum'to drive saiddrum'withsaid drive shaft,

said means being releasable, and means connected with said cable andpositioned with relation to the work load to actuate said releasablemeans on the up stroke of .said work load, whereby to' release saidcable drum to turn freely and let said work load drop. I

7. In a cable operating mechanism, in com bination, a drive shaft, acable drum rotatably mounted thereonpa cable around saiddrum andconnected with a work load to be lifted and dropped, a driving elementsecured to said shaft said drum to oppose said work load pull on said .7

within said drum, brake shoes carried by said element and expansible andcontractible to interlock with said drum and to release said drum, rackand gear means for expanding and contracting said brake shoes, actuatingmeans for rack and gear means, and means on said-cable for engagingandactuating said actuating means.

8. A cable operating mechanism including in combination: a shaft to bepower driven, a cable drum rotatably mounted on said shaft, a cablearound said drum and having its end attached to a work load, a driveelement secured to said shaft within said drum, a pairof brake shoescarried by said drive element within said drum, rack and gear meanscarried by said drive element for expanding and contracting said brakeshoes to interlock said drum to said drive element and said shaft, asecond drum mounted to rotate on said shaft and having rack and gearmeans therein connected with said first rack and gear means in saidcable drum, a brake band operable on said second drum to hold it,whereby to cause the actuation of said first rack and gear means toexpand said brake shoes in said cable drum, and means for tighteningsaid brake band on said second drum, said last mentioned means beingoperable by said cable as it reaches its limit movement, whereby saiddrum is operated to pull said cable and said work load to the upposition.

9. In a cable operating mechanism; a drive shaft, a cable drum rotatablymounted thereon,

shaft, a second drum rotatable on said shaft and having means foractuating said rack and gear means in one direction when held, a thirddrum on said shaft and having means for actuating said rack and gearmeans in the other direction when held, brake bands on said second andthird drums, lever means for alternately tightening and loosening saidbrake bands, respectively, and means connected with said cable tooperate said lever means when said cable reaches the two limits ofmovement, respectively, to operate said cable drum positively and torelease it to turn freely on said drive shaft.

10. In a cable operating mechanism: a drive shaft, a cable drumrotatably mounted thereon, a cable around said drum with its endsextended therefrom and connected, respectively, "with a Work load and acounterweight, to be alternately moved up and down as said cable drumturns in 1 different directions, a drive element secured to said driveshaft in said drum, brake shoes carriad by said drive element withinsaid drum to be expanded and contracted, means carried by said driveelement for expanding said brake shoes to interlock with said drum fordriving it in one direction, a second drum rotatable on saidshaftadjacent said cable drum, a third drum rotatable on said shaft adjacentsaid second drum, operating connections from said second and third drumsfor actuating the means for expanding and contracting said brake shoesaioaees in said cable drum, respectively, when said second and thirddrums are held against movement, brake bands on said second and thirddrums for holding them against turning, and means on said cable foralternately actuating said brake bands as said cable reaches itsdifferent limits of movement up and down, whereby to cause theinterlocking of said cable drum with said drive shaft and for releasingit to turn freely on said drive shaft.

11. In combination with a well, a support, a drive shaft thereon, acable drum rotatably mounted on said drive shaft, a cable around saiddrum with its ends extended downwardly from said drum, one end of saidcable being connected with a work load in said Well, the other end ofsaid cable being connected with a counterweight, a drive element securedto said shaft and having means connected therewith for interlocking itwith said drum for positively driving said drum in one direction, saidmeans being releasable to free said drum, said releasable means beingactuated up and down for alternately interlocking and releasing saidcable drum with said drive shaft, andmeans on said cable for engagingand alternately actuating said releasable means as said cable reachesthe up and down limits of movement, whereby the driving and releasing ofsaid cable drum is automatically controlled.

EDWIN J. BASYE.

